Light emitting semiconductors, such as high output light emitting diodes (LEDs), can now produce white light at sufficient levels so that semiconductor light sources can be used instead of incandescent or gas discharge lamps to create lighting systems such as vehicular headlamps and signaling lamps.
However, while the creation of such semiconductor-based lighting systems is possible, semiconductor light sources present the lighting system designer with some unique challenges. In particular, the light output of even high output semiconductor light sources is still much less than conventional incandescent and gas discharge lamps. Thus, conventional lighting system designs, intended for such prior art light sources with much higher light output levels, are generally too inefficient at making use of the light emitted from semiconductor light sources.
Further, operating high output semiconductor light sources require effective cooling of their semiconductor junctions to prevent failure of the light source, and the provision of such cooling in a vehicular environment can be challenging.
While much work has been done in the area of vehicular headlamp systems employing high output semiconductor light sources, to date the design of other vehicular lighting systems employing semiconductor light sources has been limited to non-pattern forming signaling lamps (such as brake or turn signals) which employ multiple, low-output, light emitting diodes in substantially conventional light fixtures.
It is instead desired to have a vehicular lighting system which employs semiconductor light sources, such as high output light emitting diodes, to produce desired illumination patterns other than headlamp patterns.